Chunky Monkey Cupcakes Recipe

I made these Chunky Monkey Cupcakes to celebrate the opening day of Disneynature's Monkey Kingdom. 

This version of the Chunky Monkey Cupcake is so moist and delicious, largely because of the pudding in the cake recipe.

To make this recipe even more mouthwatering, there's fruit filling! Why not make a batch of Chunky Monkey Cupcakes to snack on this afternoon?

It’s no secret that bananas are good for you. Not only are they packed with potassium to promote heart health, but they’re also a great source of vitamins and fiber, and can help you lose weight while still staying full!

Bananas can also help you manage your blood pressure, so you can have a sweet but healthy snack without loading up on too much sugar or carbs. 

And speaking of healthy snacks, bananas are the perfect treat for your own little monkeys! They’re low on fat, sodium, and cholesterol, and help to encourage strong bone and muscle growth.

Bananas are in season all year ‘round and come in a convenient yellow carrying case—what’s not to love?

What You Need to Make Chunky Monkey Cupcakes

Gather your ingredients. To make the cupcakes, you will need flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, salt, sugar, vanilla, vegetable oil, eggs, milk, sour cream, and banana cream pudding mix.

For the apple mixture that goes inside the cupcakes, you'll need apples of your choice, water, and sugar.

To make the frosting, you'll need unsalted sweet cream butter, powdered sugar, imitation banana extract, heavy whipping cream, yellow food coloring, caramel for drizzle on top, along with 2-3 bananas depending on size. You'll need 18 banana slices, 1/2 - 3/4 inches. 

Cupcake Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place cupcake liners in a cupcake pan.

Add dry ingredients into a mixing bowl. Sift together.

Mix liquid ingredients together. Once the liquid ingredients are fully combined, mix the liquid and dry ingredients together.

Add eggs to the mixture, beating until totally combined.

Pour batter into lined pan until 3/4 full, and bake at 350° degrees for 15-18 minutes.

Let cool for 15-20 minutes. Once completely cool, use a small scooper or spoon and scoop a hole in the center of the cupcake.

Cooked Apple Directions

Peel, core, and chop apples into small pieces. Add water, apples, and sugar to a pot and cook on stove until the apple chunks become tender.

Cool apple mixture in the refrigerator overnight or for several hours. Fill the hole made with the cupcake scooper with the chunky cooked apples.

Frosting Directions

Mix soft butter with sugar in stand up mixer until they look like small rock pebbles. Add whipping cream and continue to beat at medium speed. Add 2 drops yellow food coloring.

Add in the imitation banana extract. Continue to mix until frosting stands in stiff peaks.

If the peaks aren't stiff enough, add powdered sugar at 1/2 C  at a time until the peaks form and stand.

Apply the frosting to cupcakes in a pastry bag with tip. (This Wilton pastry bag is the one I use.)

Drizzle with caramel and a thick banana slice on top.

These Dress My Cupcake Standard Cupcake Wrappers from Amazon are really cute. I also have another recipe for Monkey cupcakes made with adorable little fondant monkeys!

If you're a Disney fan, check out these 17 Amazing Disney-themed cupcakes!

Monkey Kingdom is one of the Disneynature films. It's educational and fun, so be sure to see it with the whole family. Learn more by visiting the Monkey Kingdom website.

Save these Chunky Monkey Cupcakes to Pinterest for Later!

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Chunky Monkey Cupcakes Recipe

Yield: 18

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 18 minutes

Additional Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 58 minutes

Delicious chocolate and banana cupcakes. Easy recipe.

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Ingredients

For Cupcakes

• 2 C  flour
• 1 C  cocoa
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1 1/2  C granulated  sugar
• 1  TBSP  vanilla extract
• 3/4 C vegetable oil
• 4 eggs (room temp)
• 1/2  C   milk
• 1 C sour cream
• 1  3.4 oz banana cream pudding

For the Cooked Apples

• 4 apples of your choice
• 2 C water
• 1/2 Sugar

For Frosting

• 1/2 C unsalted sweet cream butter
• 2 C powdered sugar
• 3 tsp of imitation banana extract
• 2 TBSP heavy whipping cream
• 2 drops yellow food coloring
• Caramel for drizzle on top
• 2 large bananas

Instructions

To Make Cupcakes

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place cupcake liners in a cupcake pan.

Add dry ingredients into a mixing bowl. Sift together.

Mix liquid ingredients together. Once the liquid ingredients are fully combined, mix the liquid and dry ingredients together.

Add eggs to the mixture, beating until totally combined.

Pour batter into lined pan until 3/4 full, and bake at 350° degrees for 15-18 minutes.

Let cool for 15-20 minutes. Once completely cool, use a small scooper or spoon and scoop a hole in the center of the cupcake.

For the Apple Filling

Peel, core, and chop apples into small pieces. Add water, apples, and sugar to a pot and cook on stove until the apple chunks become tender.

Cool apple mixture in the refrigerator overnight or for several hours. Fill the hole made with the cupcake scooper with the chunky cooked apples.

For the Frosting

Mix soft butter with sugar in stand up mixer until they look like small rock pebbles. Add whipping cream and continue to beat at medium speed. Add 2 drops yellow food coloring.

Add in the imitation banana extract. Continue to mix until frosting stands in stiff peaks.

If the peaks aren't stiff enough, add powdered sugar at 1/2 C  at a time until the peaks form and stand.

Apply the frosting to cupcakes in a pastry bag with tip. (This Wilton pastry bag is the one I use.)

Drizzle with caramel and a thick banana slice on top.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 18 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 412Total Fat: 19gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 64mgSodium: 177mgCarbohydrates: 57gFiber: 3gSugar: 39gProtein: 5g

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